Make Believe
by Crystal Aurora
Summary: AU. Sasuke couldn't help but wonder when he had first began to lose her or if he even had her at all.


I've had this idea after I watched "Snow White and the Huntsman" today. Good movie!

Disclamour: Anything you recognize is not mine.

He can't remember when he first began spying on them. The first time he saw them together secretly, sneaking out of the castle he couldn't help but follow them. Thus, it led to this, and he was forced to witness their embraces, proclaims of their love for each other, their _kisses. _

The raven haired man felt moisture on his hand and looked up towards the gray clouds.

It was raining again.

What seemed like a few raindrops suddenly turned into a fierce shower and the couple ran back inside the castle hand in hand. Her high-pitched laughter was like bells.

_Absolutely lovely. _He stared at her drenched figure rushing back to the safety of the castle walls. Her waist-length pink locks stood out among the field of green and Sasuke wanted to reach out to her…touch her soft hair, and caress her face one more time.

But she was out of his reach now, and Sasuke couldn't help but wonder when he had first began to lose her or if he even had her at all.

Sakura was beautiful even as a child. Being older than the princess by a full six month, the Uchiha took on the responsibility of being her personal guard. He followed her everywhere and made sure no danger ever fell on her.

She always liked to play these games. Make believe games where she was the damsel in distress and her prince would come save her. After that they would be married and live happily ever after.

Since she wasn't ever allowed outside of the castle walls and naturally did not have any friends the role of the prince always fell on Sasuke.

Blushing as red as a tomato, the duke's son would put a ring weaved out of grass on Sakura's dainty finger and press a kiss to her cheek before pulling away quickly.

He would always tell her afterwards that he was only here on his father's orders and if it was his choice he would never marry a girl as annoying as her. It was a complete lie, and he wasn't sure whether Sakura believed him or not, but she still dragged him into her games of make believe.

Sasuke always told himself that it was true, he _didn't _have a choice. They were betrothed since they were infants and when he marries her, it won't be of love but only of a still standing contract.

What never crossed Sasuke's mind, was that when it was finally time to see if all those games would become reality, Sasuke wasn't the prince riding into war rescuing his princess.

On the verge of Sakura's seventeenth birthday, the king and queen were slaughtered and the enemy was invading Konoha. But Sakura, the supposed damsel in distress, was riding into battle with him.

When the deciding moment comes, the moment he trained so hard for, he stood and watched.

He watched the soldier that put his life on the line to protect the princess come charging in taking the deadly blow in her place. That should've been his job, Sasuke tells himself. Sakura weeps for the fallen soldier and as blood pours out at an alarming rate from his chest, a large grin appears on his weary face.

He laughs off the pain and tells Sakura it will take more than that to pull him away from her side. Sasuke's breath hitch, and he wonders why it was so easy for the blond to admit his affection for the princess when Sakura still doesn't know how he feels after years of loving her.

As the soon-to-be king stumbles back to his chambers after the painful recollections he ponders. He thinks of how Sakura and that blond idiot, Naruto, should have never crossed path in the first place. Sasuke did not perform his duty well enough. He was destined to protect her and rescue her…isn't that how the fairytale was supposed to go?

But he missed his chance, he messed up. He should have gotten over his pride and confessed that he loved her, loved her for a long time and for him those games of make believe really wasn't make believe after all.

Now it's too late, and someone else took his place. Sakura was getting married tomorrow, to a life she did not want, because there was someone else. Someone worth giving up her throne for.

Sasuke laid on his lavish bed made of the finest silk listening to the hushed whispers outside. He could hear the clanking of armor as guards rushed down the corridors. Making up his mind, Sasuke ran out into the halls calling the royal guards off. After the heavy footsteps faded, two figures emerged from the shadows.

Sakura smiled softly and embraced Sasuke, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"I'll miss you Sasuke."

Naruto slapped his back, a foolish grin set on his face. "I knew you weren't a stuck-up teme!"

Sasuke cursed at him for not telling her sooner. The reason she's no longer by his side and ruling the kingdom was all his fault. He watches them hurriedly climb on to the horses riding away till they disappeared from his line of vision.

It was the only bit of happiness he could give her.

_And so ends their fairytale of a love that could've been. _

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(A/N)- Another outlook on the standard SasuSaku relationship. Now I know the end pairing was NaruSaku but the entire story was more focused on Sasuke and Sakura's relationship. This is a one-shot…for now until I decide whether to continue this.

Review please?

-Aurora


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